Wedge connection for attaching foot or leg rests to wheel chairs



A. C. MOMMSEN WEDGE CONNECTION FOR ATTACHING FOOT OR LEG Jan. 18, 1966 RESTS TO WHEEL CHAIRS Filed Feb. 8, 1965 INVENTOR. ADOLPH G. MOM/ISBN ,4 TTORNEVS United States Patent Office 3,230,010 Patented Jan. 18, 1966 3,230,010 WEDGE CONNECTION FOR ATTACI-HNG FOOT OR LEG RESTS TO WHEEL CHAIRS Adolph C. Mommsen, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to Metal-Matic, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Filed Feb. 8, 1965, Ser. No. 430,873

1 Claim. (Cl. 297429) This invention relates generally to wheel chairs for invalids, and more particularly to a foot rest attachment which is adapted to be readily and firmly secured to the front vertical chair frame member of a wheel chair.

In a wheel chair designed for use by an invalid, it is normal to provide the unit with a foot rest, or combination leg rest-foot rest. These features are provided to enhance the comfort of the wheel chair for the user. In a normal operating situation, it is essential that the foot rest be firmly secured to the wheel chair in order that relative motion between the wheel chair and the foot rest is either minimized or eliminated. The angle at which the foot rest is positioned relative to the remainder of the wheel chair depends upon the physical condition of the user; however, normally, the foot rest is disposed at a slight angle relative to the main chair. In certain special instances, the users foot and leg may be elevated and thus extend or protrude horizontally forwardly of the chair for a substantial distance. In any case, the space requirement for the wheel chair is substantially increased due to the existence of the foot rest or leg rest. This increase in size in addition to adding substantially to the space requirement for the chair, also renders it somewhat cumbersome to move when not in use.

These foot rests or leg rests may be hingedly secured to awheel chair frame; however, even when folded to a compact state, they nevertheless may still add to the space requirement of the wheel chair per se. Furthermore, a hingedly secured leg rest is generally not as rigid as a leg rest which is secured to the wheel chair in another manner.

In accordance with the present invention, a leg rest is provided which is removably attached to the frame of the wheel chair, the mounting means providing a wedge action between the foot rest and the wheel chair frame in order to eliminate any possibility of relative movement between the wheel chair and the removably attached leg rest. In order to accomplish this, an elongated mounting bracket is provided on the leg rest attachment, and an inclined downwardly opening slot is formed in the bracket adjacent to one end thereof. This slot is adapted to engage a pin which extends transversely through a main frame member of the chair and has a slot engaging end portions at the ends thereof. The length of the mounting bracket, together with the wedging action which occurs between the bracket and the vertical frame member, combines to :provide a firm and rigid mount between the wheel chair frame and the leg rest.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved leg rest attachment for a wheel chair, the leg rest being removably attached to the wheel chair frame.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a wheel chair with a removable foot rest or leg rest-foot rest which is adapted for ready mounting on the wheel chair frame, the mounting being adapted to provide a firm wedging action between the wheel chair and the attachment.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a leg rest which is adapted to be removably secured to a wheel chair frame, the leg rest having a mounting bracket thereon with a pair of pin-engaging slots which wedge the foot rest attachment into firm engagement with the wheel chair frame member.

Other and further objects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the .art upon a study of the following specification, appended claims, and accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a wheel chair having a foot rest designed in accordance with the present invention shown removably attached thereto, a portion of the rear wheel and the upper portion of the back rest being broken away;

FIGURE 2 is a detail side elevational view, on a slightly enlarged scale, of a bracket which is utilized to attach the foot rest to the wheel chair frame;

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal sectional View of the wheel chair frame and foot rest attached thereto, this view being taken along the line and in the direction of the arrows 33 of FIGURE 4, and

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line and in the direction of the arrows 4-4 of FIGURE 2.

In accordance with the preferred modification of the present invention, it will be observed that the wheel chair apparatus shown in the drawings is generally designated 10, each side of the chair 10 including a lower horizontal rail member or portion 12 to which are secured the front vertical chair frame member 14 and the rear substantially upright frame member 16. A main horizontal seat support or rail 18 is supported between the front and back vertical frame 14 and 16, respectively. In addition, a guide rail or shaft 20 is disposed at the arm rest level of the chair, the arm rest rail 20 being disposed generally parallel to the seat support rail 18. As is conventional, the wheel chair includes a pair of main drive wheels 22 along with a pair of forward caster wheels 24-24, the caster wheels being mounted for pivotal rotation within the front vertical frame member 14 in the bearing housing 26. A suitable axle shaft (not shown) extends outwardly from the rear vertical frame member 16 in order to mount the wheel 22 for rotation thereon.

A seat panel is provided as at 28, and a pair of side panels 30 are arranged between the front and rear vertical frame members 14 and 16 adjacent the seat. As is further conventional, the rear vertical frame members 16 extend upwardly in order to provide a back rest for the unit.

Turning now to the forward portion of the wheel chair, the foot rest generally designated 32 is shown attached thereto. While the terms foot rest and leg rest foot rest have been used throughout this specification, it will be appreciated that the term foot rest is intended to encompass both a simple foot rest, as well as a combined leg rest-foot rest attachment. The foot rest 32 includes a tubular frame member 34 to which is telescopically attached the foot rest member 36. The tubular element 38 to which the foot rest 36 is secured is telescopically and adjustably received within the tubular element 34, the tube clamp 40 being utilized to hold or maintain the tubular elements 34 and 38 in 'proper predetermined relative position. An elongated mounting bracket for the foot rest is shown at 42, this bracket 42 preferably having a generally U-shaped cross section. In order to stabilize the mounting of the tubular member 34 and the bracket 42, a support rod 44 is interposed at the lower end of the bracket 42, the support rod 44 being attached or secured permanently between the tubular member 34 and the bracket 42. It will be appreciated that the wheel chair is generally provided with two of the foot rest assemblies such as are shown at 32, the drawings, for purposes of simplicity, merely showingone of the two identical sides of the chair.

Attention is now directed to FIGURES 2, 3 and 4 for a detailed description of the manner in which the foot rest is secured to the vertical frame member 14. The frame member 14 is provided with a transverse pin48 which extends diametrically through the member 14. While a unitary pin element could be used, it is generally preferred that the pin comprise a central spring pin 50, together with a pair of terminal cap members 52-52. In this connection, one cap member may initially be pressed over the spring pin, this part then being inserted into the tubing 14, and the other cap member may .be pressed onto the pin thereafter. The bracket 42 is provided with a pair of downwardly opening slots 5454 which are arranged along oppositely disposed portions of the legs of the generally U-shaped member. The slots are adapted to engage the outer exposed portion or cap member 52 of the pin assembly 48, and are at an acute angle relative to the axis of the bracket 42. This angle is preferably in the range of about 10 degrees. As indicated in FIGURE 3, the general configuration of the bracket 42 is such that the inner diameter of the back of the bracket 42 coincides with the outer diameter of the tube 14 in Order to enhance the rigidity of the assembly. With reference to the clamp 40, this clamp may conveniently be a pipe clamp with a bolt being provided at the free end thereof to clamp the upper portion of the rod 34 against the lower extension 38.

-It will be observed that the bracket 42 is relatively long, and this is important for purposes of rigidity in the mounting of the bracket 42 onto the front vertical frame member 14. The length of this bracket provides a sufficiently long moment arm to restrict relative motion between the bracket and the frame member to which it is attached.

In order to attach the foot rest to the vertical frame member 14, the operator merely places the bracket 42 adjacent the vertical frame member 14 at a point above the pin assembly 48. The foot rest is then dropped until the downwardly opening flap 54 engages the pin 48, and this downward motion is continued until the back of the U-shaped bracket 42 is firmly wedged against the outer circumference or surface of the tube 14, The

4% unit is then ready for use. Removal of the foot rest may be accomplished by merely reversing the above steps.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangements and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of my invention as set forth in the appended claim.

What is claimed:

In combination, a wheel chair having a substantially rigid front frame member and a foot rest assembly adapted for attachment to said frame member, said front frame member having a foot rest mounting pin extending transversely through the diameter thereof, arm means being included in said foot rest assembly and extending from a lower foot supporting plate at one end to a mounting assembly ,atthe other end thereof, the foot rest assembly being adapted for removable attachment to said front frame member and including a generally U-shaped bracket, said U-shaped bracket being elongated to contact said front frame member over a substantial axial distance and having a pair of downwardly directed pin receiving slots adjacent the upper end thereof, the axis of said slots being inclined at an acute angle to the central axis of said U-shaped bracket,

said arm means being secured to the upper end of said bracket and extending angularly to the axis of said pin, and a support rod attached between said arm means and said U-shaped bracket adjacent the lower end thereof, the arrangement being such that as the pin is, received further within the said pin receiving slot, the back of said U-shaped bracket becomes more firmly wedged into contact with the outer peripheral surface of said front frame member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 792,366 6/ 1905 Taylor 5-296 2,302,237 11/ 1942 McFall 248161 2,592,449 4/ 1952 Miller 297429 2,959,212 11/1960 Bauer Q97-45 3,020,972 2/ 1962 Hockett 182,12l

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

C. A. NUNBERG, Assistlant Examiner. 

